महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-12, chapter-155, verse-9

न दुष्करतरं दानान्नातिमातरमाश्रमः ।
त्रैविद्येभ्यः परं नास्ति संन्यासः परमं तपः ॥९॥

9. na duṣkarataraṁ dānānnātimātaramāśramaḥ ,
traividyebhyaḥ paraṁ nāsti saṁnyāsaḥ paramaṁ tapaḥ.

9. na duṣkarataram dānāt na atimātaram āśramaḥ
traividyebhyaḥ param na asti saṃnyāsaḥ paramam tapaḥ

9. dānāt duṣkarataram na āśramaḥ atimātaram na
traividyebhyaḥ param na asti saṃnyāsaḥ paramam tapaḥ

9. Nothing is more difficult than charity (dāna), and no stage of life (āśrama) is exceedingly challenging. There is nothing higher than those learned in the three Vedas. Renunciation (saṃnyāsa) is the supreme austerity (tapas).

Words meanings summery:

• न (na) - not, nor

• दुष्करतरम् (duṣkarataram) - more difficult, harder (comparative)

• दानात् (dānāt) - than charity, from giving

• न (na) - not, nor

• अतिमातरम् (atimātaram) - exceedingly, excessively, beyond measure

• आश्रमः (āśramaḥ) - stage of life (like student, householder, renunciate) (stage of life, hermitage, monastic order)

• त्रैविद्येभ्यः (traividyebhyaḥ) - than those learned in the three Vedas, from the knowers of the three Vedas

• परम् (param) - higher, supreme, superior

• न (na) - not, nor

• अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

• संन्यासः (saṁnyāsaḥ) - renunciation, abandonment

• परमम् (paramam) - supreme, highest, ultimate

• तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual discipline

Words meanings and morphology

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

दुष्करतरम् (duṣkarataram) - more difficult, harder (comparative)

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of duṣkaratara

duṣkaratara - more difficult, harder

Comparative degree

Comparative of duṣkara (difficult), formed with suffix -tara.

Prefix: dus

Root: kṛ (class 8)

Note: Implied 'there is nothing more difficult than'.

दानात् (dānāt) - than charity, from giving

(noun)

Ablative, neuter, singular of dāna

dāna - gift, charity, giving, donation

noun from verb

Derived from root dā 'to give'.

Root: dā (class 3)

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

अतिमातरम् (atimātaram) - exceedingly, excessively, beyond measure

(indeclinable)

Derived from ati-mātra.

Compound type : avyayībhāva (ati+mātra)

• ati – over, beyond, exceeding
  indeclinable
  Prefix indicating excess or going beyond.
• mātra – measure, extent, mere
  noun (neuter)
  Root: mā (class 2)

Note: Used as an adverb modifying an implied 'difficult/challenging'.

आश्रमः (āśramaḥ) - stage of life (like student, householder, renunciate) (stage of life, hermitage, monastic order)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of āśrama

āśrama - stage of life, hermitage, monastic order, asylum

Derived from root śram 'to toil, exert' with prefix ā-.

Prefix: ā

Root: śram (class 4)

त्रैविद्येभ्यः (traividyebhyaḥ) - than those learned in the three Vedas, from the knowers of the three Vedas

(noun)

Ablative, masculine, plural of traividya

traividya - one who knows the three Vedas, tri-vidya, knowledgeable in three sciences

Derived from tri-vidyā (three knowledges/Vedas) + aṇ suffix.

Compound type : tatpuruṣa (tri+vidyā)

• tri – three
  numeral
• vidyā – knowledge, learning, science
  noun (feminine)
  From root vid 'to know'.
  Root: vid (class 2)

परम् (param) - higher, supreme, superior

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of para

para - supreme, highest, excellent, subsequent, other

Note: Implied 'there is nothing higher'.

न (na) - not, nor

(indeclinable)

अस्ति (asti) - is, exists

(verb)

3rd person , singular, active, present (laṭ) of as

Present active indicative

3rd person singular present active indicative of root as.

Root: as (class 2)

संन्यासः (saṁnyāsaḥ) - renunciation, abandonment

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of saṃnyāsa

saṁnyāsa - renunciation, abandonment, asceticism, fourth stage of life (āśrama)

noun from verb

Derived from sam-ni-as 'to throw down, abandon'.

Prefixes: sam+ni

Root: as (class 4)

परमम् (paramam) - supreme, highest, ultimate

(adjective)

Nominative, neuter, singular of parama

parama - supreme, highest, ultimate, most excellent

Superlative of para.

Note: Agrees with 'tapaḥ'.

तपः (tapaḥ) - austerity, penance, spiritual discipline

(noun)

Nominative, neuter, singular of tapas

tapas - austerity, penance, spiritual discipline, heat

Root: tap (class 1)